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The TRUE DIY wedding, Margie Pettigrove and Adam Knox hosted at Knolle Jersey Farms October 18th, was an event not to be missed. Friends and family from all over the U.S. (and a couple international visitors too) descended on a small Texas town to witness these two lovebirds #TieTheKnox!

The outdoor wedding was held at the fabulous hand-laid brick labyrinth in the style of Chartres Cathedral, where the center was an ancient live oak tree that towered over the couple and their guests. The rain lighting up the radar and drenching roads just east of the wedding knew there was love in the air and simply decided to take a different route, keeping the sky blue the whole day long.

The reception was held in a old barn where wildflowers festooned the tables atop turquoise burlap runners and small votive candles created a gorgeous ambience that everyone appreciated. Oh, and the cake. Totally gone. I’m pretty sure people ate the crumbs. Hand delivered by a friend and guest of the wedding who drove down from Austin, the Driskill Hotel 1886 chocolate cake was a hit!

Many thanks to the Pettigrove and Knox families for throwing such a beautiful day!

I recently connected with a local Corpus Christi Photography group who meets once a month and does group shoots with models and makeup artists. No one profits and everyone has a great time. I snapped this shot of cutie Danyelluuh Platz. Her makeup artist and stylist was the fabulous Dolly Munster.

It’s been a rainy couple days here in south Texas, and no one is complaining. I’m sure as it dries out I will begin my annual rant about the war on bugs that inevitably plagues our 1948 hacienda style house and therefore begin complaining, but until then I’ll enjoy the cooler weather and the calm sounds. I have been flipping through my catalog of images and found this one from the winter of 2013. The earliest arrivers of sandhill cranes flying just over the ridge in my back field. Enjoy and have a peaceful day.

I thought I would switch up my routine this year and do something different to celebrate the day of my birth. I wanted to climb a mountain. All told, it was a pinnacle bday for me this year and I didn’t think a party was how I wanted to celebrate. Enter Loch Vale Trail.

Weeks before our trip to Colorado I spent time scouring through a book with more information on trails, lake, lochs, and vales than I will ever need. I found a picture of a beautiful lake in Rocky Mountain National Park called ‘Sky Pond”. I turned over in bed and showed my husband saying with certainty- “There. That’s where we are going for my birthday.” So, we cooked a campfire breakfast of potatoes and eggs, drove into Estes Park for ‘real’ coffee and then set out across the snow in search of Sky Pond. If you have been following my adventures on this blog you will already know that it was REALLY snowy in colorado this year. The snow makes everything slow going and more tiresome. Our first big feature was Alberta Falls (picture above). The glacier melt was just rushing over the rocks. I took a variety shots where the water was stop motion and splashing, but I love the slower shutter speed waterfall photos where the rushing water looks soft and ribbony.

The views became more and more spectacular as we climbed up. I can almost smell the fresh air looking at this photo.

There are no pictures of the biggest hill I ever climbed because I was sucking wind the entire time. But it was a biggie, let me tell you. An. Absolute. Killer. On the way back I gave up completely and slid down on my rain coat. Who says I have to grow up? This was what we saw as we reached the top and rounded the corner.

Looks cold, right?

As we sat there munching on granola and apples enjoying the view of the loch vale and the lake, a couple of fellow hikers arrived and sat nearby. One of the girls proceeded to take off her winter coat and JUMP IN THE LAKE! Ok, so the trail is about 3 miles one way from trailhead to finish. IN THE SNOW. Yes, hiking makes you warm, I get that, and yes, the sun is hot- I get that, but jumping into a glacier pool is not smart when you have no blankets or dry clothes and you have to hike 3 miles through the snow back to your car. Her friend shouted at her to get out the lake. Her response? Take a photo with her cell phone. Risking hypothermia for likes on Facebook? C’mon now! I seriously hope she made it down the mountain.So, we never actually made it to Sky Pond. The hill before Loch Vale completely wiped us out. That’s ok. Now I have a reason to go back.